Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Assistant Agent Program: An Ex-Ante Economic Analysis

Many former participants credit Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Assistant Agent (AA) program as a key factor in their career success. However, its economic costs and benefits are unclear. Results show that the program is economically successful (i.e., has a higher net present value) when a former AA remains in an agent position for 2–3 years longer than someone who was hired without AA experience. This is likely to be the case because the former AA has a better understanding of an agent’s job responsibilities and/or because administrators have had a chance to observe performance as an AA, leading to better hiring decisions.